Intro:
I suspect if I describe this picture, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Harry Truman is holding a copy of the Chicago Tribune over his head. The date is November 3rd, 1948. The headline loudly reads, “Dewey Defeats Truman.” But President Truman has the last laugh. You see, he had, in fact defeated Dewey.
So, how is then that the famous Chicago Tribune could have gotten it wrong? I mean, how often do the national media miscall a presidential election? Ok, well, why did they get this one wrong? Well, it had been a close race, but the real problem was that the replacement workers setting the type had only listened to the first few returns of the night. Early on, Dewey was in fact winning. Based on what they knew, they tried write history. And they got it wrong.
I tell you this story, because this morning, your destiny is being written daily too. But are you getting all the facts? It’s important to ask: Who do you listen to? What sources do you trust?
For the Rich Man in our text this morning, those questions are one in the same. The consequences are monumental, so you need to know your final answer. Just by way of reminder, last week, we read the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus. You’ll remember I suggested that this story was the story of all faith journeys. I gave a simple three-point outline for understanding it.
The Rich Man started out like each of us. Not seeing; not believing. I suggested that the first transition verse was 23 – The Rich Man looked up. There comes a day when, for better or for worse, we will see. And when we get to that point where we see, it will simply be the natural result of what it is we believe.
In the case of the Rich Man, he didn’t like what he saw. As we said last week, this Rich Man wasn’t intentionally evil; he was just blind. He looked at Lazarus, and even gave him his cast-offs and leftovers. He never really saw Lazarus until God’s final reality set in. He thought he had it made. Lazarus? Well, he was just a cast-off, a leftover. Surely, he thought, God must really be impressed with me.
Father Abraham tells the Rich Man – look! In the last life, you got good things. Lazarus? The Greek word really is “kaka.” Life wasn’t so kind. We all know we live in a topsy-turvy world, sometimes it’s hard to know which end is up. We said that in an upside world, he shouldn’t have been surprised at such a seeming reversal of fate.
When I think about the world that is to come, I think of 1 Corinthians 13:11. For now, we see as through a glass, darkly. But then we shall see face to face, we shall know even as we are known. For some of us, that will be a joyful time. For others, it will be the bad the hair day that never ends. But one day you can be sure of this, you can’t hide – everybody will see you for who are.
Believing
But this morning, I want to point out the second transition. Once the Rich Man saw, he understood why it was important what he believed. He didn’t want to be here. He didn’t want his family there. He had seen, and now he believed. But it was too late. “Go back,” he implores Father Abraham. “Please,” he begs, let them believe before my family has to see it personally!
As I said last week, despite what the bumper sticker may say, Your friends aren’t in Hell waiting to party. Anybody who wouldn’t you in Hell with them isn’t a friend.
Where I want to direct your attention is to an exchange that goes on between Abraham and the Rich Man. The Rich Man has finally admitted that he’s getting his due. Lazarus is comforted, the Rich Man is suffering. And so, this Rich Man begs Abraham – please at least send Lazarus back from the dead so that they’ll listen.
Circle that word in your mind. Maybe, just maybe they’ll listen.
Abraham says, “Hey! They’ve already got the Law and the Prophets.” As I said last week, that’s just a 1st Century way of saying, ‘The Bible.’ Judaism in Jesus’ day certainly knew the law and they had finally listened to what the prophets had been saying about that law for all this time. God’s Message was available for anyone who would just take the time to listen.
“You don’t just get it Abraham,” Lazarus is seeming to say. “That’s the churchy stuff. My family? Well, they’re just not up for that. But, if someone came back from the dead – now that would get their attention!”
“Nope.” Abraham answered. “Trust me on this. If they didn’t listen to God’s Word straight from the source, even a former-dead guy isn’t going to convince them.” We know for a fact that’s true.
Just watch the Discovery Channel, and count the number of scholars, academics, and even supposedly religious people like John Dominic Crossan. All of them will be happy to tell you how Jesus lived and died. But how many of them believe he lived again? Now, that may seem a little harsh, but it all goes back to trust. Do you trust that God is who he says he is, or not?
How many ways can God reach out and say “Boo!” without scaring you off? Remember back on Mount Sinai when God was giving the Israelites the 10 Commandments? The first thing the people said was, “Hey Moses! You tell us, we’ll listen. But if God talks to us, we’re gonna die!” You can’t have it both ways. You see, ultimately, there are only two kinds of people – those who believe, and those don’t.
There are people who think that Neil Armstrong never actually landed on the moon – they think the whole thing was just done on a Hollywood set. How do you reason with somebody like that? Until they set foot on the moon themselves, they’re just not going to believe.
Sadly, the same is true of some people. They are just going to refuse to believe that there is an afterlife until they actually have one. I fear for that day for those folk.
Why not science?
There are a lot of people who think that since you can’t prove God using the scientific method that he just doesn’t exist. I got to tell you, that’s a pretty arrogant position.
Orville and Wilbur Wright flew their first flying machine on December 17, 1903, but they built their first one in 1899. You see, for a year and half, they kept building gliders that were getting less and less able to get lift from the air. And do you know why? Turns out they were relying on the “science” of Otto Lillienthal. This guy had done all sorts of tables on how much lift different wing shapes were supposed to achieve. Maybe they should have investigated the source a bit more carefully. Lillienthal had even died trying to make his own aircraft.
But guess what – he got it wrong. The Wrights had to spend all of 1902 completely disregarding his work and doing it over. Even scientists get it wrong.
Why Your God?
There are other people who want to say, “Oh well, your God is fine and dandy for you, but I just don’t need that. I like to ‘think for myself’.” But think about that. I mean, after all, who taught you that expression, ‘Think for yourself?’
It reminds me of this scene in Monty Python’s Life of Brian. In the movie, everyone has become convinced that this Brian guy is the Messiah, so they demand he comes out and speak to them. So, Brian comes out and says, “You have to learn to think for yourselves. You’re all individuals!” The crowd responds in unison, “Yes, we are individuals.” Of course one guy has to chime in, “I’m not!” But do you see what I’m getting at?
These people who want to tell you, “Oh, the Bible is okay for those narrow-minded people who need Christianity as a crutch, but I’m a free-thinker.” Those people are just deluding themselves. Everybody is listening to somebody. You just have to ask yourself, are they listening to someone good?
I’ll tell you, I’ve tried listening to a lot people over the years. Some people have been better than others. But when it comes to trying to understand life, I’ve only ever found one place that has any real answers – and it’s right here. This book has already told me. I just have to believe.
Interestingly enough, I found out that Orville & Wilbur’s dad, Milton Wright, was a ‘United Brethren’ bishop. Milton Wright took a lot of heat for his understanding of the Bible, and on more than one occasion had his preaching license taken away. But he kept getting it back, too, because, well, sometimes pastors get it wrong. Sometimes churches get it wrong too. We all get it wrong sometimes.
But through it all it all, this book has stayed the same. For 2000 years, it’s had the right answers. If you want to talk reliability in transmission, I’d be happy to tell you about the Dead Sea Scrolls. If you want to talk about its life-changing effects, I can direct you to countless thousands of lives. But if you want to have a serious discussion, you have to start here.
John records an exchange between Peter and Jesus. Jesus is saying some pretty unpopular things, and so people are leaving. Jesus gets a bit angry and tells Peter, “You want to go too?” I love Peter’s answer. “Where else can I go? You alone have the words of life.”
Who do you trust?
I’m sure this Rich Man thought, I’ve got it made. I understand this thing. I’ve really got the good life. He probably thought, I know how comfort myself. But when all is said and done, Abraham says, “Child, you had your comfort. Now it’s Lazarus’ time to be comforted.”
There is some word play here that I found fascinating. That word ‘comforted’ in Greek? It’s παρακαλέω. If you’ve ever heard the word “paraclete,” you know that in the Bible that has nothing to do with soccer shoes. The paraclete is the Holy Spirit.
You see, Lazarus had no choice but to trust in God. I mean, who else would comfort him? Where else could he go?
The Rich Man? He sought his comfort elsewhere. He was listening to the comforting call of anything else that says, “Let me take care of you.” The Rich Man, sad to say, chose poorly.
You don’t have to make the same mistake. One has come back from the dead has already told you everything you need to know. Its right here – the Law, the Prophets. And, since I can be kind of dense, he even gave me a plainer version here in the New Testament.
The question is, are you going to listen?
Long Branch Baptist Church
Halfway, Virginia; est. 1786
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Enter to Worship
Prelude David Witt
Invocation Michael Hollinger
*Opening Hymn #339
“It is Well with My Soul”
Welcome & Announcements
Morning Prayer
*Responsive Reading [See Right]
*Offertory Hymn #383
“How firm a foundation”
Offertory Mr. Witt
*Doxology
Scripture Luke 16:19-31
Sermon
“Believing is Seeing, Part II: Who do you trust?”
Invitation Hymn #335
“Standing on the Promises”
Benediction
Congregational Response
May the grace of Christ of Savior / And the Father’s boundless love
With the Holy Spirit’s favor / Rest upon us from above. Amen.
* Congregation, please stand.
Depart To Serve
RESPONSIVE READING
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him,
Rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition
Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by men yet chosen and precious in God’s sight,
“See, I lay in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, where else can we go? You alone have the words of eternal life.”
And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual.
Jesus said to them, “Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God?
Should this be said, O house of Jacob? Is the Lord’s patience exhausted? Do not my words do good to one who walks uprightly?
I want your hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that you may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery,
that is, Christ himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
I am saying this so that no one may deceive you with human arguments.
-Col 2:6-8;1 Pet 2:2-6; 1 Cor 2:13; Mark 12:24; Micah 2:7; Col 2:2-4
